And Ever
by Ngame
Summary: A collection of mostly lighthearted Starco oneshots. Title is a play on my first fic, "Forever", though they might not be always compatible in continuity.
1. Two Hearts and Three Moons

**Summary:** So much has changed in such a short time for Star Butterfly in the aftermath of Meteora's attack on her kingdom - and her relationship with Marco has been no exception. Despite the feelings in their hearts finally being in sync, one burning question is still left in both of their minds: "What are we?"

* * *

"So tomorrow we need to start planning the next wave of patrols for my mom, we've already checked everywhere I could think the weird unicorn thing might have sent her."

"Ok, well, I have an idea-" Marco struggled to keep pace as Star practically flew down the corridor, nearly bowling over the eager servants and knights along the way.

"And with Eclipsa and Glossaryck both being gone, I need to somehow keep practicing my magic without the wand. It's not reliable enough, and I _need_ to convince the people that I'm a worthy queen for now."

"I'm always down for battle training-"

Star continued her rambling as if he wasn't there, tugging at the ends of her hair as it degraded into a frazzled mess. "And the castle needs repairs, and I still don't know what to do about the Magical High Commission, and the cooks _won't stop bugging me about the dessert options for corn's sake!_ " She jolted as Marco's hand firmly gripped her shoulder from behind, the two of them stopping so suddenly that Marco almost toppled them both. He turned her to face him, grabbing both shoulders as his concerned and compassionate eyes bore into hers.

"Star, I know this is all important, and I'm scared now just like like we were before Meteora attacked, but I'm more worried for you _now_ than I ever was then. It… it's tearing me apart to see you like this. Can you just step back and take a break, just for a little bit?"

She removed both his hands, knuckles turning white from their anxiety-fueled deathgrip on her, and sighed mournfully as her head dropped. Both of them noticed that she didn't let go of his hands, but made no moves to break the connection; in the whirlwind of emotions left over from the harrowing attack on the castle, they had at _least_ managed to sort out the fact that they liked each other, once and for all, after so much heartbreak between them. But with the spectre of Star's new role looming over their heads, and the leftover awkwardness between them (despite Star and Tom resolving things far more amicably than any of the three could have imagined they would), neither of them found the time nor mental energy to prioritize discussions about their relationship. Sure, hugs made her chest flutter more than ever, increasingly casual handholds helped soothe her fretting, and the brief kiss they'd shared when they cemented that newfound understanding had felt more like home than even Mewni itself nowadays, but what mattered more than any of these details was the simple truth that she had him, and he had her, and no more needed said.

Marco finally broke the silence of what felt like the first still moment for either of them in eons. "If it makes you feel any better, Tom and I already came up with a few more ideas about how to find your mom, he's got some cool demon curses that might actually help us. Plus I set up a rotating schedule with the kitchen until further notice. It's not anything fancy, but I _did_ manage to sneak cake into breakfast once a week."

A strained smile made its way onto Star's face as she finally looked up at him. "I guess if I'm really going to rule Mewni my way, cake for breakfast _is_ a good start. Thanks, Marco. You… you've been so great these past few weeks, you're working just as hard as I am. I seriously don't know what I'd do without you."

Marco saw her eyes light up like a cloudless sky, a spark so rarely seen in them these days, and it made his heart swell. He let go of one of her hands and beckoned for her to follow him, still holding on to the other. They made their way through the castle, stopping right outside the door to her expansive bedroom.

"Alright, so full disclosure, I snuck into your room earlier to set this up. We can keep it for a while, my parents are gonna be pretty busy with the baby so they really won't have time-"

"Marco, you're rambling."

"Right, right. Ok, so here goes nothing." He opened the door, revealing… Star's normal bedroom, although oddly tidier than usual.

"Uh, Marco?"

"It was a bit of a mess here, so I had to clean up a bit to fit it, but…" he stepped aside, letting her see the far corner of the room, revealing a couch and television. "I thought, maybe, since everything is so crazy around here lately, we could start doing Friendship Thursday again, as a break from it all, you know? I even brought the big blanket and made some nachos. But if you want to start working on your plans tonight instead, I totally understa-" A peck on the cheek left him sputtering, words failing to escape his lips with any coherence.

"Marcoooo, I… yeah, you know what, yeah! I'd love to. Like you said, neither of us can keep going without just some time off, and I'd be _honored_ to spend my 'me time' with you," she crooned playfully, leaning into him. Marco couldn't help but giggle, a genuine warmth spreading through him like a reservoir that had been dammed up that was let loose.

"Well, it just so happens that tonight is the premiere of season 4 of _Fiesta de la Noche_ , if you're still interested in that show."

"Wait, season 4? Didn't we finish season 3 like a bajillion months ago, back on Earth?"

Marco shrugged nonchalantly, sitting down on the couch and patting the spot next to him. "Sometimes it takes a long time between seasons, these shows can take forever to make. It's not like on Mewni, we don't have magic to speed it along-" Star's brow furrowed as she started to protest, before Marco chimed back in, "-or servants who do all the production work for free."

Star rolled her eyes and accepted her half of the blanket from Marco, grabbing a chip as the recap of the previous season started playing. The dramatic highlights of the various romances featured in the show flashed before them, with the big finale moment featuring a famous singer and a vampire confessing their love.

"Wait a minute, this is _Bam Ui Pati_!" Star exclaimed, almost knocking over the chips. Marco gave her a startled look, considering she was quite literally speaking another language, as she continued gawking incredulously at the screen. "When I went to Pony's, she was watching some Korean show, and it was just like this, except animated!"

Marco pulled out his phone and typed in some letters before his own eyes went wide and met Star's. "Huh, yeah, _Bam Ui Pati_ and _Fiesta de la Noche_ both mean 'night party.' Guess the Korean studio just copied them or something."

"So it's a cheap knockoff? Oh, Pony's gonna be maaaaaaad when I show her this."

"...or we could _not_ tell her, learn what's coming up on her show before she does, and hold it over her head," Marco countered with a mischievous grin.

The duo stared blankly at each other for a moment before busting out into raucous laughter. Star gasped as she narrowly dodged the pile of chips in the midst of her mirthful flailing, her momentum carrying her forward into Marco, who fell backwards against the cushioned armrest like a domino. He quickly wrapped his arms around her to keep her from slipping off the couch, and they gazed at each other wide-eyed, blushes spreading over both of their faces.

Neither moved an inch. The telenovela faded out of their perception, and for seconds that felt like hours, the only sounds they perceived were the rapid beating of their hearts. A few drops of sweat beaded on Marco's face as the fear of overstepping an unspoken boundary paralyzed his thoughts. He tried to squirm away,but Star instead settled herself down so that her head was resting on his chest.

"Uh, Star, is this, uh, okay?" he choked out, punctuated by a voice crack.

"Mmmm, it's like chilling and hugging at the same time, and I really could use both right now. I feel like you do too, even if you've been trying to put on a brave face for me... you know you can't fool me, Diaz." He gulped down his nerves as he settled into their embrace, still not fully used to allowing himself this intimacy; Star's arms wound around his neck as he reaffirmed his hold on her back. They resumed their attention on the season premiere of their show, in which the vampire and vocalist took on the world together as an unstoppable pair. Normally Star and Marco might have exchanged banter and giggles at the on-screen antics, but tonight they found themselves content to bask in the tranquility of the moment - sans a loud gasp from the pair at the episode's climactic twist. Finally, the credits rolled, with the new ending theme featuring the protagonists holding hands as they stood on stage overlooking their audience. Marco noticed Star nestle a bit deeper into his arms, but she kept her attention fixed on the screen until the commercials began.

Star's eyes closed as she stilled for a few minutes, positively content to do nothing but cuddle with her squire, but he knew from her breathing that she was wide awake. The gears in his head were turning, greased ever so slightly by the episode they had just finished, until they finally compelled him to break the silence. "Star…"

"Yeah?"

"What… what are we?"

"Whaddya mean?"

"I mean, you and me, this thing… Ugh, sorry, I'm being stupid spoiling this with my own-" His voice cracked once again, bogged down with the weight of the past months of tension as though it were trying to suddenly escape him once and for all through his lips.

"No, no, I mean, I've been thinking about it too… Stuff's just been so crazy. I have no clue _how_ , but Starfan13 found out about, y'know, _us_ and has been messaging me constantly about it." She punctuated her statement with a groan.

"I think my parents figured it out, somehow… Heh, I've gotten a few questions from them too." He sighed and closed his eyes, kicking himself mentally for ruining the peacefulness until Star spoke up.

"Weeeeeell, for starters, I'm the Queen - at least for now - and you're my squire. That's probably top priority right now."

"A-and I'm fine with that! I take it very seriously!"

"I know, and you're the best one in the kingdom. You've seriously made this ordeal _so_ much less awful than it could have been. And we're best besties, as always, if that wasn't obvious already. It's definitely been something more lately, like we're _bestest_ besties!"

Marco rolled his eyes and squeezed her more tightly. "And you're doing a great job as Queen, Star. Your whole kingdom is behind you. We'll get through this."

"Thanks, Marco. But there's one more thing…"

One of her hands unraveled itself from him to rummage through her small bag on the floor, pulling out her phone and whipping it open in a fluid motion. "Say cheese!"

"Wha-" was all Marco had time to utter, before she lunged forward and claimed his lips with her own, his shock quickly fading into bliss as he closed his eyes and reciprocated - a bliss which was short-lived, as a camera flash went off above him and Star broke away, grinning devilishly. She punched a few things into her phone keyboard and showed Marco a message attached to the photo:

 _Me and my boyfriend_ _❤️_ -⭐

His face contorted, a dozen competing emotions all mingling into a nearly unreadable expression. "Star, who'd you send that to?!"

"Just the people that were bugging us. It was the _only_ way to make Starfan happy, and… well, we've both seen how your parents' relationship works, they'll eat this up."

"You're not wrong," Marco sighed in resignation, returning a lopsided smirk. "Besides, I guess I can't get too upset at my girlfriend for wanting to show us off." Star beamed at him and turned their gentle embrace into a bear hug, temporarily knocking the wind out of him. "...although maybe don't send it to Janna, n-not yet, I'm honestly scared of what she'd do with it."

Star chuckled and nodded, tossing the phone onto the floor and lifting herself up his eye level. "What matters more to me than any of that, though, is just that you're Marco Diaz, the sweet and caring dork who I know would do anything for me."

"You'd do the same for me, Star. Heck, we already have, quite a few times: when you gave up your wand to Toffee, and when you let me become a squire…"

"And when you saved me from Ludo's sucky portal thing, and when you used the wand to save me from the creepy unicorn magic brainwashing…"

Marco visibly swallowed as a lightbulb went off in his head. "Speaking of, uh, me and magic… I only saw a quick glimpse of that picture, but did it look like there was something glowing there to you?"

"Weird, I thought I saw that too… didn't something happen there, with the whole cheeks thing, a few weeks ago when we…" Star bit her lip in concentration as she trailed off, recalling the kiss that capped off their first _mutual_ confession of feelings.

"Dunno, that whole moment was all a blur to be honest. But as squire to the acting Queen of Mewni, it is my duty to solve this mystery that could be affecting her!" He gallantly swept an arm through the air like a knight flourishing his sword.

She swooned dramatically, gazing at him with half-lidded eyes. "Oh, my humble squire, I thank you for your service. What might be your grand plan for solving this mystery?"

He cupped the back of her head, wordlessly pulling her forward as they met in the middle once more, feeling the weights of the world leave their shoulders just for this night. And though they could not see it, the pulsing lights now emanating from their pairs of hearts and moons were joined by a familiar vermillion glow from above.

* * *

 **A/N:** Hope you all enjoyed this dose of tooth-rotting Starco. My vision for season 4 is for the first 3-4 episodes to knock out the urgent aftermaths of Divide and Conquer, stuff like Moon being missing, and Star's completely obvious feelings for Marco (and therefore her relationship with Tom), pretty similar to what week 1 of the 3A bomb did. So Tom and Star break up, and Star confesses her feelings not long after, but in this particular fic I guess they just didn't really make it official on the spot because all kinds of big and important stuff was occupying their minds even though it was obvious.

This is also my way of warming back up into the writing game after being on break for so long. I'm the type of person where big things happening kills my motivation to do anything else, so I spent the last month and a half focusing entirely on 3B without wanting to create anything of my own. Now that we're on hiatus, with Starco so close we can taste it, I'm feeling that kick in the pants to get writing again. Look for another update to _Forever_ within the next 2-3 weeks, want to knock something out before graduation takes over my life for another few weeks.


	2. Nothing's the Same

**Summary:** Prompt for this fic was "making up", and that's all I'll say for now! Short one this time.

* * *

"I'm really sorry, Marco."

"No, it was all my fault, Star. I screwed everything up. I should've known, I should've seen the signs..."

"How can you blame yourself for this? I'm the one who just bulldozed over your plans without a care in the world. They should just call me Star the Impulsive or Star the Insensitive."

"And I got so caught up in those plans that I didn't even begin to think about what you were trying to do or how you felt. Classic Marco..."

"It feels different than usual this time, though, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess it does."

Marco closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He'd spent so much time and energy trying to make things right, but nothing worked out the way he wanted it to. He shouldn't have been surprised by that fact, as it happened all the time between him and Star, but she was right; this time had been _very_ different. A beam of moonlight from the window caught his eye; it wasn't red, but it didn't need to be to trigger his remembrance of the good times he and Star had shared together. The memories were so vivid; his senses felt flooded with reminders, as though he were reexperiencing them in on the spot. A need to finish unloading the thoughts swirling around in his mind coursed through him as he inhaled once more to recenter himself before continuing.

"I can't believe I said all those things."

"What do you mean, Marco?"

"All my plans fell apart and I just… went off, rambling on and on, I didn't even let you get a word in."

"The only mistake was me ignoring what you were trying to do in the first place."

"Whatever, Star, going in circles like this won't change anything. What's done is done, and we gotta live with it."

"So that's it, then? We're not dating anymore?"

"...I guess so, Star, yeah."

"All because of what I did…"

"Hey, I had quite a bit of involvement too."

"Marco… Nothing is ever gonna be the same between us ever again, is it?"

"I don't think it _could_ be after that."

Star shifted under the covers and stared idly at her hands, contemplating the whirlwind of events from that day. She and Marco had exchanged very strong, impassioned words; Star recalled storming away in hysterics not long after. Yet more tears began to well up as she reminisced over the times when their lives had been more carefree, without the daily barrage of duties that kept escalating as she got closer and closer to claiming the crown. This mounting pressure finally boiled over just hours ago, changing her and Marco's relationship forever.

As she caught a bit of her reflection in the glittering ruby adorning her finger, an arm glided over her, depositing a firm hand in her own, complete with an eerily similar ring.

"So lesson learned: we shouldn't accidentally try to propose to each other at the same time," Star said with a bubbly laugh as she snuggled into the embrace of the man behind her.

"I'll make a note of it for next time," Marco chuckled back.

As the couple drifted into dreams, the jitters and misunderstandings they'd both had earlier that day faded from their minds once and for all as they looked forward to the rest of their lives together.

Nothing would be the same, indeed.

* * *

 **A/N** : Just a short little drabble to let you know I'm not dead. Finals and graduation and looking for an apartment took my life over, but now I am certifiably done with undergraduate and have 2 months of summer ahead before the next big step. Two months in which I very much hope to allot plenty of time to writing, but honestly I've been less and less motivated as the hiatus drones on. Fun little things like this kinda fire me back up, though, so maybe a few more blurbs like this are in order! (I have another thing for this series already in progress now).

 **Review Responses:**

 **Useful76:** Thanks for the support! Honestly I'm not worried about Season 4; the show doesn't artificially force its characters to do things they weren't already just at the brink of doing anyway, so I see no reason to assume all the big obvious emotions are gonna be ignored.  
 **Sugar:** Thanks! Although I definitely think they might not just jump into being bf/gf right away, after all the clear emotions they expressed for each other I doubt they're just going to sit on it without talking about it for long at all.  
 **Phoenix:** Thanks! I'll try!  
 **Keyblade:** Ha, sorry to disappear on you again right after that. Hope this little blurb held you over until next time.  
 **acosta:** Thanks!  
 **Metre:** Thanks!  
 **Noni:** Thanks so much! I'm very much a "be the change you wish to see in the world" type of guy with my fic writing, so I plan to keep trying to emulate what I want out of the show!


	3. Different is Hard

**Summary:** After Queen Moon returns safe and sound, she sends Star and friends on a much-needed vacation. But for a certain demon, rest and relaxation isn't exactly the best cure for what's on his mind. (Prompt was "Vacation).

* * *

"Tom, you've _got_ to try these… uh, I don't actually know what they're called. The purple ones. They're amazing!" Marco snatched a few sushi rolls away from the center of the table - and from Pony's prying tongue.

Tom smirked as Marco scooted one of the pieces towards him. "Dude, come on now. Everyone knows they're called Snarglers. You've been on Mewni for, what, over a year now right? I'll give you credit though, these are the most delicious ones I've ever had." He mumbled out with his mouth full as he polished off his first one and snapped his fingers, levitating the rest across the table from Marco's corner.

Marco sighed and rolled his eyes, accepting the fate of his fish until an arm quickly reached up in front of Tom's face and snatched a roll. Star raised an eyebrow as she teasingly held the intercepted prize aloft in front of Marco. His expression remained neutral as he tried to snatch it with his chopsticks, but Star kept evading his maneuvers. Finally, Marco spotted an opportunity and lunged forward out of his seat; once again, Star was too quick and pulled his prize just out of reach. "Guess my squire needs a little more dexterity training, huh?" She brought the roll closer to Marco's mouth… before bopping his nose with it instead. "You snooze, you lose, buddy." Star grinned and leaned back, preparing to indulge in her hard-won piece of sushi, but yelped and toppled forward when a light jab at her side caught her off guard. Marco gave her a quick peck on the lips and then smugly ate the roll out of Star's chopsticks. They stared at each other for a few seconds before their composure broke, giggles quickly morphing into laughter.

Ponyhead groaned and scooted her veritable mountain of stockpiled sushi closer to the other three. "You know what, lovebirds, that is it, you can have all of mine. My appetite is officially gone! Lousy romancing on this vacay, I swear, there are, like, KIDS here, probably..." she grumbled loudly as she collapsed onto the seat. "Gotta suffer through a whole week of this…"

As his three eyes surveyed the spectacle in front of him, a toothy grin graced Tom's visage. Ponyhead was being, well, _Ponyhead_ , but more importantly, his two best friends were so carefree and happy for what he knew was the first time in months; if he was being honest with himself, he doubted Star or Marco had truly felt like this for awhile even before Meteora's strike and Moon's disappearance. And while he was filled with a genuine warmth of a type that no amount of demon fire could provide, he couldn't help but feel slightly wistful.

* * *

Tom lounged on the bed on his half of the hotel room, tossing his game controller back and forth in his hands. He had a fabulous collection of video games at his disposal, but he couldn't exactly access them without Marco's scissors (or opening a chasm into the ground, but the hotel staff didn't really like that the first time). When Queen Moon sent the foursome on vacation, she forbade Star and Marco from returning to the castle to make sure they truly enjoyed their much-needed downtime, but no one was stopping Tom from making a quick supply run to the Underworld.

No one, that is, except a certain Marco Diaz, who was still absent though the sun had gone down hours ago.

The door finally creaked open as Marco tiptoed in, wanting to be careful in case his friend had turned in early. "Oh, hey, Tom! I wasn't sure if you were still awake... didn't want to bother you."

The demon waved a hand dismissively, sinking back into the pillows. "Nah, I've just been chilling. Today was a ton of fun... plus, honestly, I think I'm still full from the sushi yesterday."

Marco groaned and let himself fall spread-eagle on his own bed, muffling his cries into the sheets before rolling back over. "Don't remind me. Whose idea was it to actually finish all of Pony's?" Tom turned over, raised an eyebrow, and jerked his head towards the back wall separating them from the other half of their party, at which Marco rolled his eyes. "Rhetorical question, I know. Star was practically cheating anyway, have you seen how much her dad can eat? Should've never let her talk us into that. But hey, I'm pretty sure I handled it better than you." Marco shot a cheeky grin at his friend.

"What? No, dude, the only reason you didn't feel sick is because you fell asleep at the restaurant. Star had to carry you home… seriously, do you not remember that? Didn't you realize something was wrong when you woke up this morning?" Marco's smile faded as he fiddled with the zipper on his open hoodie, eyes darting around the room as he tried and failed to come up with a response. "Was it because Star carried you back here, tucked you in, and gave you a goodnight kiss? Did that make everything feel _better_?" Tom's smile (and Marco's blush) kept growing as he pressed the teasing further, but his tone got a touch intense at the end, which didn't go unnoticed by either.

"Yeah, yeah, you're right, I guess…" The two fell into an uncomfortable silence, both staring at ornate patterns in the carpet.

Tom took a deep breath and turned back to look at Marco. "Wanna play some games or something? I found this new RPG, I tried playing it myself but it got pretty boring. I hear it has _killer_ co-op, though, been dying to give that a shot." Marco perked up and affirmed his interest, catching the controller Tom tossed to him as the title screen came to life. The opening mission was an incredibly easy (but unskippable) tutorial; even though they were enjoying themselves, their minds both began to wander as it dragged on.

"...I'm sorry about all this, Tom."

"Uh, dude, you're a higher level than I am right now. Pretty sure I'm the one who should be apologizing here, I can't nail these combos at _all_."

Marco paused the game in the middle of the tutorial boss fight, looking a curious and concerned Tom in the eye. "No, I mean about… the other stuff. Star."

"What? Marco, it's fine-"

"No, it's not… the booth, the breakup, the huge help you've been lately despite everything... you've been great about it when you didn't have to be. But now you seem a bit off these last few days, and I know it's probably because…"

"I said it's **FINE!** " Tom stifled his shout through gritted teeth, eyes flaring up momentarily and controller slamming on his bed with an audible thwump. The fire left as quickly as it came, and Tom swung his legs across the bed so he could fully face Marco as he centered himself. "Don't beat yourself up over it, it's cool. We're cool. It's just… it's weird, y'know? Seeing you and Star like, well, _this_." Marco's brow furrowed in confusion; Tom's voice showed no signs of him being upset with Marco himself, which wasn't what he'd expected. He swallowed audibly, wanting to speak but knowing it was more important to just let Tom vent it out. "And don't take that the wrong way, I'm not jealous or anything, not really… the past few months of us working together and hanging out have been the best time of my life, you two are the greatest friends a demon could have. Pony's alright sometimes, too, I suppose. But these past few days… it's really been the first time I've seen the two of you being all, y'know..."

"I get it." Marco offered sympathetically. He had been facing Tom for a while but just now discarded his own controller to the side.

A good-natured chuckle escaped Tom's mouth. "I shouldn't even be surprised, you two were alreadytouchy-feely before you even had anything going on. That's Starship for you." He slumped against a pile of pillows, staring at the ceiling and closing his three eyes. "I've moved on, I really have, but all those years of stupid fixation just make it _weird_ when I don't want it to be. Different is hard, even when it's better."

"Yeah, it is." Marco took a deep breath, leaned over, and put a hand on Tom's shoulder as the two friends locked eyes. "This might sound like the worst possible subject to bring up, but bear with me. That night, in the booth… I talked to Star about what was different for me, too. When I left Mewni back then, I thought I was set! Star was still my friend, I was with Jackie, it felt like everything was great! Then it all crashed down around me, and it really stunk, but it taught me what I really needed in my life. What I'm trying to say is, if you ever need support, I know how hard it can be."

The water building up in Tom's eyes sizzled away when he blinked, before he pulled Marco into a strong hug. "I'll keep that in mind." Tom slurred the last word into a yawn as they parted, the day's physical and emotional turmoil finally taking its toll on him.

Marco gave a lopsided grin. "Yeah, yeah, we should probably both get to sleep soon. Star and I have to be at Quest Buy early tomorrow for the big annual Squire blowout sale."

"Is that the one with the ping pong tables that come with miniature fanatic crowds and commentators?" Tom asked earnestly.

"Why else would we bother going if it wasn't? I can totally grab you one if-"

"Yes, absolutely. Please." Tom cut him off with a laugh, feeling truly free-spirited for the first time in a while. He turned to once more look Marco in the eyes. "You're really good at this whole 'best friend' thing, Marco. I think I get why Star likes it so much."

"Hey, you're pretty great at it, too. You're my best- well, I mean… I'd just call you my 'best friend', but..." Marco trailed off as his eyes lingered towards the back wall.

"We'd both know that's not true," Tom nonchalantly responded.

Marco rubbed the back of his neck. "Aaaaand now I feel like a jerk. Maybe bestie? Nah, Pony would maim me for stealing that word from her. How about 'best friend who's just a friend'?"

Tom cocked an eyebrow and smirked. "We'll figure it out. So... what you're saying is, now we'll be just friends?"

Marco chuckled and cleared his throat as he began to sing, "Oh, we will be, just friends."

Tom grabbed his controller and held it like a microphone. "And now we'll be just friends!"

Marco mirrored Tom as they harmonized. " **Be juuuuust friends!** "

"And now we'll be…" Tom fell back on his bed laughing as Marco launched into an air guitar solo. Their fun was soon interrupted by a pound on the back wall.

"OH MY GOD YOU ARE SUCH DORKS, I SWEAR, THIS VACATION IS GOING TO LITERALLY KILL ME. THESE WALLS AREN'T VERY THICK, YOU KNOW. I'D TELL YOU TWO IDIOTS TO GET A ROOM, _NO OFFENSE B-FLY_ , BUT YOU ALREADY HAVE ONE. I CAN'T ESCAPE-" Tom and Marco were stunned to silence by Ponyhead's wailing as they looked back and forth between each other and the wall, mortified, while she continued ranting. Star started laughing first, her initial snort through the wall finally shutting Pony up before Tom and Marco both joined in. The demon felt his heart swell, feeling like he'd finally found where he belonged. 

* * *

**A/N:** Sup everyone! I've had this on the backburner for a while, and I might add some more oneshots set during this hypothetical vacation of mine at a later point. First time writing Tom for more than a quick snippet, was kinda nervous while drafting this up. If it wasn't clear, this whole scenario takes place months after Divide/Conquer (one year after Trial by Squire, to be precise) after Star and Marco have gotten together and Moon has returned and taken back the throne. Let me know what you think!

 **Review Responses:**

 **InfiniteClockWise:** Thanks! Technicalities are fun ;)  
 **Useful76:** I don't think I have it in me to actually write them breaking up lmao. Thanks!  
 **Allen Vth:** Haha, I didn't want to make it _too_ painful, but I'm glad my plan worked! Might try playing with more fun stuff like that later.  
 **Ronald Castillo:** Thanks so much!  
 **acosta:** Thanks so much! Yeah, I was thinking about making each chapter separate story for AO3 but FFnet can't connect works into a series so I opted for this instead.  
 **Sugar:** ;) 


	4. You're My Everything

**Summary** : It should be a joyous day for Marco Diaz, but when fear and anxiety weigh him down like an avalanche, he needs his shelter from the cold.

* * *

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

The grandfather clock swayed back and forth, the seconds ticking by as time unerringly marched forward. A figure, decked out in royal attire and curled up on the bed, followed along to its slow but steady rhythm in the twilight seeping through the windows, unsure as to whether or not slumber would be preferable to his current condition. Normally, in a situation as uneasy as his, he might have been content to turn in early and try to clear his mind in preparation for the inevitable. But when that inevitable might never end? Perhaps, he thought, it wasn't such a bad idea to hold off on tomorrow as long as possible, given the events of today.

Today, he took on the title of Prince Marco Diaz.

Of course, he'd known this day was coming for quite a while. Throughout the four years he and Star had been together, the implications of a future with her had always lurked somewhere in the recesses of his mind. It rose much more quickly to the surface in the weeks leading up to his proposal, but the exhilaration when she accepted filled his heart with such warmth that he was only now coming down from the high. Telling his friends and family was equal parts joyous and stressful, but announcing it to the people of the kingdom was… another story entirely.

" _Marriage for the sake of love, hmph. Because that worked out so well with our_ last _King."_

" _He's rather lucky that the Queen is so impulsive, otherwise I'd find it hard to believe he'd be necessary."_

" _What could that Earth boy possibly know about ruling a kingdom?"_

Marco grumbled and rolled over face-first into his pillow. Some of the audience at their big announcement today weren't quite so keen on Star's choice of prince, and that was only the ones who were fairly vocal about it; who knew how many more simply put on a happy facade? Years of self-doubt seemed to pile up on his shoulders on this evening that should have been a celebration, weighing him down until he felt like he couldn't bear-

"Marco, are you in here?" Star's voice from outside of the closed door broke Marco out of his depressive thoughts. He hesitated for a moment before rolling back over toward the door and grunting in acknowledgment of the question. "Alright, we were all worried about you, you just disappeared! You missed Ponyhead get wasted and hit on Tom, I thought Janna was going to turn her into a stuffed animal on the spot." Star said as she bounded into the room, over to the bed, and lay next to him. "Anyway, how does it feel being official now, _my prince_?" she crooned.

Marco stared at the ceiling and sighed. "It still doesn't quite feel real, I guess. 'Marco Diaz, Prince of Mewni'. Like it's all some fairytale or something, I just… it's hard to believe, right?"

"Boop!" Star squealed out as she poked and pinched his nose. "Now you know it's not a dream." Marco couldn't help but return a small smile at her vibrant antics despite his own inner turmoil, but it left as quickly as it came. "Is something wrong?"

"N-no, everything's all good, Star." He swallowed as he tried to meet her gaze, his guts squirming harder than he ever remembered them doing.

She sat up and hovered over him, leaning down over his face. Her eyes bored into his, emanating a deep concern which only served to twist his insides a little bit more. "Are… are you not happy with this? Talk to me, Marco, _please_. You don't have to hide things from me, you're my best friend, lifeline, soulmate, fiancé..." Her lips starting a journey from his jawline, punctuating each title with a brief kiss, until she finally met his own lips, lingering there for a fraction longer.

"It's fine, I'm fine, just, y'know, it's a lot to take in, Star. I _want_ to be here, you know that, but it's just a big change! I'm just some guy from Earth, what do I know about running a kingdom? I'll just mess it up, like a Marco."

Star's brow furrowed. "Marco, you-"

She moved her hand to stroke his cheek, but he quickly sat up, backing up a bit and facing her. "I thought that maybe I could learn, if I studied all the precedents and statutes and traditions, maybe _then_ I could fool myself into thinking I'd actually be the right guy for the job." It felt like a dam was bursting inside of his chest as he spoke, all of his anxieties overflowing after the day's events. "And… I heard the crowd, I heard all their little comments, it just made me wonder that even more."

"I'm sorry, Marco, I didn't know…" Star meekly stated, her eyes downcast.

"You don't have to apologize, Star, this is on me. You're a great queen, you're already ruling Mewni your way just like you've always wanted, but sometimes I think maybe those people are right. Is it even best that I'm here? I love you Star, I love you _so_ much, but this is way bigger than us. Maybe Mewni would be better off without me. Maybe… maybe you'd be better off without-"

She launched herself at him then, arms fiercely wrapping around him into what felt like the tightest embrace they'd ever shared. Marco choked down the tears he didn't know he was holding in, searching for a sliver of the relief he would normally feel from being in her arms. But right now, it still eluded him.

When the silent warmth of her hug left him, Star cupped his face and pressed her forehead to his. Marco felt as though his very soul was being pierced by her cerulean gaze, her tears being held back as if by resolve alone. She took a deep breath and steeled herself before speaking. "Marco Ubaldo Diaz, I want you to listen to me. Don't _ever_ say that again, you hear me? I'll never be better off without you. Sure, some people are gonna say stupid and horrible things about you, or me, or _us_ , but none of that matters. We're gonna be the best king and queen we can possibly be because we're gonna do it together. And it's not just us, either. We've got Tom, and Pony, and our parents, and Buff Frog and all the monsters, and corn knows who else behind us - behind _you_."

"Yeah, I know you're right, it's just…" They'd drifted a bit apart, Marco's arms now resting on their tangled legs as hers draped over his shoulders. Some part of him knew she was right, knew that this crazy ride he'd been on for years would keep moving forward and all turn out okay, but like always those fears drowned out reason. But time and time again, they'd manage to keep each other afloat. And as his own thoughts flailed around in that murky water, he finally grasped the last thing anchoring him down. "All that support is great, but… I don't want to let you down. Those stuck-up royals, our friends, even myself… I could survive through disappointing them, but not you."

"Even if you screw up, even if we shout at each other, even if I get _really_ mad and turn your hoodie into a big red snake or something… you'll never disappoint me because I love you, and you're everything to me. I need your wisdom, your comfort, your laughter, and your love. I'll always need my home, Marco, and that's you." Now the waterworks finally burst forth, but for Marco it was a feeling of comfort and shelter, like a blanket and a cup of cocoa inside a cabin during a snowstorm; whatever war was being waged in his mind, she always managed to prove that she was _his_ home, too. They pressed forward as one and met in the middle for a gentle but passionate kiss. In the following seconds, Marco felt more truly calm and content than he had in days. It was a long road ahead of him, he still knew it would never be easy, but for once he felt like he was ready to walk it. When they broke away to catch their breaths, Star quickly began unbuttoning Marco's jacket and casted it to the floor; he only began to question her when she moved on to his shirt and then pants.

Marco's eyes widened at her delicate touch. "Um, Star… Here? Now? Isn't the party still going… on..." he inquired, baffled, but didn't protest. She ignored him and kept working at his clothing until he was down to just his underwear, then abruptly stopped and sat on her knees to begin unzipping her overly poofy dress. When she struggled with it, like in many times past, she gave Marco her most adorable pouty expression that always did the trick, and tonight was no exception. Marco chuckled and wrapped himself around her to continue the undressing. More garments fell on the floor around the couple as they exchanged light kisses and loving caresses, but she stopped him before he could completely finish his work, leaving him in a mix of confusion and excitement - which was fairly expected with Star, he mused, no matter the circumstance. Before he could blink, Star leapt up to the dresser and tossed him a pair of his softest pajamas while throwing a silk nightgown over her lithe frame.

Marco finished putting them on right as Star hopped back in bed, kicking the rumpled blanket and sheet to the foot of the bed to make room. She pushed him down onto his back and shimmied in between his strong arms, their legs tangling up in an all-too-familiar intimacy. When she pulled the covers back over them, she finally had a satisfied sigh and wrapped herself around him fully. "It's been a long day, and I think we could both use some cuddling. The party will be just fine without us, let someone else rein in Pony for a change. I want to be here for _you_ , because you're the one that I'm going to spend the rest of my life with and you deserve it more than anything. So watcha gotta say about that, Prince Diaz?"

He chuckled as he settled his warm, loving gaze on Star, the well of his tears finally running dry. "It would be my honor, Queen Butterfly." He placed a tender kiss to the top of her head and no more words needed said. Minutes later, Marco could hear Star's breathing slow down as she finally drifted off; he pulled her even tighter into himself, never wanting to let go, for sleep had yet to claim him.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

It was silent enough for Marco to once again hear the grandfather clock ticking away, but his destiny no longer seemed like something to run from or dread. In the best or worst of times, as long as Star and Marco had each other, he could eagerly await its arrival all the same.

* * *

 **A/N:** I'm not dead! I wrote this as a self-indulgent birthday present to myself, so if y'all like it then that's just a bonus for me. Fanfiction writing is something I always want to do until the actual thought of writing creeps up on me and I freeze up, like I did all summer. No promises on anything, unfortunately but stay tuned!

Also check out my Tumblr, Ngame989 - I'm super active there now, theorizing and analyzing and reblogging Starco art. I have a giant post about my thoughts on Season 4 there called "Earning the Happily Ever After", so that's neat.

 **Review Responses:**

 **Useful76:** I did have some fun with the S4 poster scene, yeah. It probably won't even be in the show but I can dream, right?  
 **acosta perez:** Thanks! Hopefully I'll be more in the swing of things again with school starting and a more structured schedule, we'll see.  
 **Sugar** : Yeah, I really do love Tomco as a solid friendship, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of it as they put the romance drama behind them in S4.


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